Examples of magnet systems or relays with armatures having a substantially H-shape are shown in DE 197 15 261 C1 and DE 93 20 696 U1. These relays can alternate between two stable switch positions by reversing polarity of the magnet system. The magnet system provides force for both switch directions so that a force is applied to contact carriers of the relay not only during movement to a closed position but also on movement to an open position. This is advantageous in particular in connection with the breaking open of welds occurring in the course of the electrical life of the relay.
Examples of relays having a slider arranged parallel to a bottom surface (datum plane) of a body of the relay that transmits movement of an armature having a shape other than an H-shape to a contact system of the relay are shown in EP 1 244 127 A2 and DE 198 47 831 A1. These relays use a conventional magnet system with a hinged armature located at a front of a coil that is positioned horizontally within the body. An armature core arm located perpendicular to the bottom surface of the body and the slider is thereby effectively connected to the slider. The armature core arm has an armature projection that engages a recess of the slider so that the pull-up or opening movement of an armature plate is directly converted into a horizontal reciprocating movement of the slider. Because the coil is arranged horizontally within the body and thus parallel to the bottom surface, the height of the relay is small.
It is known for the above-described relay containing the horizontal slider to be fitted with the generic polarity-reversible magnet system with an H-shaped armature. However, thus far this combination of elements could only be realized by arranging the coil vertically within the body. As a result of the arrangement of the coil vertically within the body, the overall height of the relay is large. For example, a relay with a horizontally arranged coil typically has an overall height of 16 mm where a relay with a vertically arranged coil typically has an overall height of 30 mm.
FIGS. 1-2 show an example of a magnet system for a relay according to the prior art. As shown in FIGS. 1-2, a coil (bobbin core) 18′ is vertically arranged within the magnet system such that the coil 18′ is perpendicular to a slider 19′. When the magnet system is arranged in the relay, the coil 18′ is therefore positioned perpendicular to a bottom surface of a body of the relay. A core construction of the magnet system consists of first and second core yoke members 1′, 2′ having yoke arms 5′, 6′ and core arms 3′, 4′, respectively. The first and second core yoke members 1′, 2′ each deviate from a typical straight L-shape in that the yoke arms 5′, 6′ are each turned inwardly to form opposing pole faces 10′, 11′, which are separated by an air gap 16′. Thus, each of the yoke arms 5′, 6′ are L-shaped, and each of the core arms 3′, 4′ are straight. An armature 7′ having an H-shape is arranged between the yoke arms 5′, 6′ and parallel to a center axis of the coil 18′ so that the slider 19′ is movable in a direction horizontal to the bottom surface of the body of the relay by an armature projection 20′. The armature 7′ described herein is only compatible with a magnet system wherein the coil 18′ is positioned perpendicular to the bottom surface of the body of the relay. Thus, the relay has a large overall height.